


Weathering

by heyjupiter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friendship, Gen, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyjupiter/pseuds/heyjupiter
Summary: When Bruce visits King Valkyrie in New Asgard, a thunderstorm reminds them of absent friends. Fortunately, they have Thor's stash of Midgardian junk food to help them cope.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Brunnhilde | Valkyrie
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31
Collections: Bruceweek, Ladies of Marvel Bingo 2019





	Weathering

**Author's Note:**

> This is a late entry for Day 1 of Bruce Week ("Storm") as well as for the Thunderstorms square on my [Ladies of Marvel Bingo card](https://twentyghosts.tumblr.com/ladiesbingo).
> 
> Thanks to volunteerfd for beta reading!
> 
> Also no warnings for major character death within the fic, but it does keep the events of Endgame canon, which I uhhh don't usually do.

Valkyrie eyed Bruce's half-full plate and asked, "Is this food not to your liking?" She'd never known Bruce--nor Hulk--to be a picky eater, but then, much had changed as of late. The two of them sat alone at her high table, but it would reflect poorly on her household if her hospitality were so rejected.

Bruce gave a half-smile. "No, no, it's great. Guess I'm just not that hungry."

"Are you sure? We could always forgo the banquet hall and raid Thor's strategic reserves of Midgardian snack foods."

Bruce shook his head and took another bite, though his unenthused face suggested he'd taken a bite of bilgesnipe dung rather than a delicious beetroot salad.

"I suppose sitting around the library all day doesn't work up quite the appetite that a day of battle does," Valkyrie mused. Bruce had been very helpful on his latest visit to New Asgard. He'd come to work with her council of healers and technomages to work on adapting some of their Asgardian equipment and techniques to work better here on Midgard. 

When Bruce didn't respond, she added, "Even so, I should think a being of your size would have a heartier appetite."

Bruce nodded and stared off into space. Well, not _space_ , just across the large, empty room. It hadn't even been decorated for a proper feast, since it was to be just the two of them per Bruce's request.

Valkyrie had been very busy with her kingly duties since Thor had left on his journey with the Guardians of the Galaxy. She hadn't thought it would be so different--after all, when Thor had been physically present, she'd been doing most of the work of running the kingdom herself anyway. But now they had twice as many citizens, and she didn't have the figurehead of Thor to hide behind. She felt stressed, and she thought that seeing her old friend would be a balm to her. Instead, she found herself adding him to her list of worries.

She was still trying to wrap her head around this new version of Bruce, the one who had both brains and brawn. When she looked at the big green guy, she still half-expected the childlike Hulk she'd known on Sakaar. She still missed him. She hadn't exactly been happy on Sakaar, but she found herself looking back on that time with unexpected rose-colored glasses. Things may not have been pleasant then, but they'd been simpler. Back then, she could easily work out her rage with a workout with Hulk. But maybe that would still help them both.

"Hey, big guy, if you're done eating, why don't we go spar?"

"Oh, no, I don't really do that anymore."

"What, afraid to lose?"

He managed a good-natured chuckle. That line _definitely_ would have worked with the old Hulk, but Bruce just kept dragging his fork around his plate.

"C'mon, for old time's sake," she urged. "Besides, combat releases those, what do you call them, brain chemicals?"

"Endorphins," Bruce supplied. "But so does any form of exercise."

"But other forms of exercise aren't as _fun_. You seem like you could use some fun. And so could I."

"I don't know if you and I have the same ideas of fun."

"Yes, because your ideas of fun are boring."

Bruce smiled sadly. "You're not the first person to tell me that."

"Ah, I see I am not the only friend of yours with a keen sense of observation." She nudged him with her elbow. "Don't you wish to see the king's private training facilities?"

He studied her face for a moment. "I guess I'd be a fool to turn down an invitation like that."

She smiled. "Yes! And my council assures me that you are, in fact, a genius, so it follows that you accept." She finished her wine in a long gulp. "Come!"

"What, now?"

"No time like the present! Your food isn't getting any warmer. Besides, I had thought you were scheduled to return to New York tomorrow."

He rose from the table and followed her reluctantly, leaving behind a half-serving of savory pie. She quickly changed out of her formal regalia and into something more comfortable, then led Bruce to an obstacle course set up along the rocky fjords. "There's a small arena a few kilometers to the east. I'll race you there!" Then she set off running before Bruce could respond. She knew he was faster and stronger than she was, so she didn't see any shame in giving herself a small advantage.

Bruce let out a surprised yelp and ran after her, climbing up rocks and swinging on ropes with ease. He caught up with her but she still held the advantage of knowing their route, so they stayed neck and neck as they made their way to the arena. When they reached their destination, she quickly opened a storage chest and put on some protective gear. She enjoyed sparring, but she wasn't stupid. Bruce took off his glasses and set them on the storage chest. She laughed at the delicate gesture.

He said, "It's hard to replace those. They have to be custom-made."

"I'm sure. Any other fragile accessories?" He shook his large head, and she said, "Then let's start!" She swung a padded fist at him, and he reflexively blocked it. "There's my champion!"

He sighed, but he grudgingly sparred with her. As their combat continued, he grew more engaged, and she smiled to see his spirit returning. But then, just when she'd finally landed a few good blows, the sky split open with a loud crack of thunder and it began to pour rain down on them. Bruce stepped back and made for the awning that encircled the arena, pausing to put his glasses back on.

"What, you afraid of a little rain?" she called, though it was actually a lot of rain.

"It isn't safe," Bruce said. "It's too slippery. You could get hurt for real."

"I am a Valkyrie," she replied indignantly.

But Bruce ignored her and sat on the ground, his knees pulled up to his broad chest. He looked up and watched the storm, and she sighed and sat down next to him. The awning protected them from the worst of the rain, but lighter drizzle still blew in on them. It was bracing, though the thunder and lightning made her feel a wisp of loneliness. She never thought she would actually miss Thor.

"Do you hear much from Thor?" Bruce asked. The weather must be making him think of Thor too.

"I'm perfectly capable of ruling without him."

"Oh, of course you are. I just meant--if you heard any word from him. If he's doing well."

"Ah," Valkyrie responded. She shouldn't have jumped to that conclusion about Bruce; he'd always been openly appreciative of her skill, regardless of her gender. "He has sent a few short messages, nothing terribly substantial. He's a man of few words. You two used to have that in common."

Bruce managed a small smile, then jumped at a particularly loud crack of thunder. "I haven't heard much from him, either. I know it's hard to communicate from outer space, I just…." He trailed off.

"I miss him, too," Valkyrie said quietly. "But I believe the journey will do him good. He was unhappy here."

"I'm sure you're right."

"Still, it's hard to be left behind."

Bruce nodded and stared out at the storm. After a few long minutes of silence, she said, "Did you know that I am the last of my kind?"

"What?"

"Of the Valkyries. Once, we were legion, but all the rest of us were slain by Hela."

"Oh my god, I'm sorry," Bruce said. His tone was both surprised and gentle. "How awful."

"It was a very long time ago. I--I thought perhaps Thor had told you."

Bruce shook his head. 

"So, I--I know you are missing your comrades. The ones who cannot return. I know the pain you feel." She hadn't met the fallen Avengers, the ones whose sacrifice had let the rest of them live. But she knew that Bruce had been close to them, that he missed them. Bruce nodded and tucked his chin a bit deeper into his knees. "The pain will lessen, with time, but it will never leave you."

"Thanks, Val. Good pep talk," Bruce said, with a trace of the dry humor she'd briefly gotten to hear from human Bruce after they'd left Sakaar, before he'd gone green again.

"I only mean to share honesty, Banner."

"Yeah. Well, I guess I'm the last of my kind too."

"You've always been unique, haven't you?"

"Oh. I mean, yeah, but I meant--I meant the Avengers. Thor went off to space, Clint went back to his family, Steve went back in _time_ , Nat and Tony...I'm the last one left standing."

"Ah." Valkyrie hadn't thought about it quite like that. She'd heard about the Avengers, of course, but these days Midgard seemed overrun with heroes. 

After another long silence, Bruce gestured at his body with one huge green arm. "I spent months and months trying to get Hulk back, trying to become _this_. So I could protect people. But what was the point? I don't even like fighting, but it's what I'm built for now."

She winced. "I am sorry that I teased you about your form. Before. It...it was a noble thing that you did." She still privately thought that she did prefer Bruce either of the other ways, but when she'd said it, she hadn't realized what the change had cost him, nor what it would allow him to do.

He shook his head. "Oh, no, that's nothing."

"Anyway, you did protect people. From what I understand, you wouldn't have been able to wield the Infinity Stones and bring back all of the missing, if you did not have this form."

"Yeah," Bruce admitted.

"So that's _billions_ of people you protected.I know that you still feel the pain of loss, but...you have saved so many. Much more than I was able to do against Hela," she said softly. "I--I only escaped with my life then because of the sacrifice of another. Of one who...one who meant very much to me."

Bruce quietly processed this. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"As I said, it was a long time ago." After another interminable silence, she said, "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're here. In whatever form you have, you've been a great help to my people. But even if you hadn't been, it would still be nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too, Valkyrie."

"You know what else would be nice?"

"Hm?"

"If we could get out of this rain."

Bruce laughed. "Yeah, I suppose we've been out here long enough. I'm sorry if we didn't get in a very satisfactory round of sparring."

"Ah, it was still a better workout than anything Korg has been able to give me. But on your next visit, perhaps we can try again." 

"Alright."

"In that case, I'll call a transport so we don't have to walk back in the rain."

"If I'd said no, we would have walked?"

"No, _you_ would have walked. I would have called the transport just for myself."

Bruce laughed again. He seemed in better spirits than he had at dinner, and when they got back to her quarters, he asked, "Hey, what was that you said earlier? About Thor's Midgardian junk food stash?"

"Are you in the mood for something sweet or savory?"

He considered. "Both?"

"You are truly a man of wisdom and refined sensibilities." After they changed into dry clothes, she brought out cheese puffs and ice cream, along with some hot mulled wine. She and Bruce sat on a large sofa and snacked while they watched the storm rage and eventually die down. 

She licked cheese powder off her fingers and said, "You know, you--you might be the last of the Avengers, but you and I, we're both still _Re_ vengers. And Thor will be back eventually, I am sure, for more processed cheese if nothing else. And between you and me, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Loki found a way past death after all, though I am not sure if that thought would be a comfort to you."

Bruce smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Val."

"Now. Do you need rest, or would you join me in my quest to defeat the video games Thor has left behind?"

Bruce laughed and accepted the controller she offered him. It was comical in his large hands, but he made a noble effort at the game. Though it was true that she alone ruled New Asgard, it was nice to be reminded that she wasn't always alone, neither in her grief nor in her moments of triumph (against the virtual personas of Midgardian teenagers, but still). They were the Revengers. They'd made it through the Devil's Anus, and they'd make it through this.


End file.
